Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit

Objective. Several tests are available in the diagnostics of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD); however, none of these is conclusive. We review the values of these tests, from an intensive care unit (ICU) perspective. Methods. Case report and review of the literature. Results. A 53-year-old...

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Main Authors: Harm J. van der Horn, Peter H. Egbers, Michaël A. Kuiper, Wouter J. Schuiling
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Neurological Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/630141
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author Harm J. van der Horn
Peter H. Egbers
Michaël A. Kuiper
Wouter J. Schuiling
author_facet Harm J. van der Horn
Peter H. Egbers
Michaël A. Kuiper
Wouter J. Schuiling
author_sort Harm J. van der Horn
collection DOAJ
description Objective. Several tests are available in the diagnostics of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD); however, none of these is conclusive. We review the values of these tests, from an intensive care unit (ICU) perspective. Methods. Case report and review of the literature. Results. A 53-year-old woman initially presenting with psychiatric symptoms developed myoclonus and was admitted 1 month later to the ICU with a suspected nonconvulsive status epilepticus and respiratory insufficiency, probably due to extensive antiepileptic drug therapy. Typical MRI and EEG findings and a positive 14-3-3 protein led to the diagnosis of sCJD. All treatments were terminated, and autopsy confirmed sCJD. Conclusions. Clinical signs combined with MRI, EEG, and 14-3-3 and/or tau protein determination might be sufficient to diagnose or exclude sCJD and may therefore prevent the application of unnecessary diagnostic tests.
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spelling doaj-art-46bf5f1993ff48d6a3d5a9b2aa5aa8a22025-02-03T07:25:40ZengWileyCase Reports in Neurological Medicine2090-66682090-66762013-01-01201310.1155/2013/630141630141Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care UnitHarm J. van der Horn0Peter H. Egbers1Michaël A. Kuiper2Wouter J. Schuiling3University Medical Centre Groningen, GN, The NetherlandsDepartment of Intensive Care, The Medical Centre Leeuwarden, FR Leeuwarden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Intensive Care, The Medical Centre Leeuwarden, FR Leeuwarden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Neurology, The Medical Centre Leeuwarden, FR Leeuwarden, The NetherlandsObjective. Several tests are available in the diagnostics of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD); however, none of these is conclusive. We review the values of these tests, from an intensive care unit (ICU) perspective. Methods. Case report and review of the literature. Results. A 53-year-old woman initially presenting with psychiatric symptoms developed myoclonus and was admitted 1 month later to the ICU with a suspected nonconvulsive status epilepticus and respiratory insufficiency, probably due to extensive antiepileptic drug therapy. Typical MRI and EEG findings and a positive 14-3-3 protein led to the diagnosis of sCJD. All treatments were terminated, and autopsy confirmed sCJD. Conclusions. Clinical signs combined with MRI, EEG, and 14-3-3 and/or tau protein determination might be sufficient to diagnose or exclude sCJD and may therefore prevent the application of unnecessary diagnostic tests.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/630141
spellingShingle Harm J. van der Horn
Peter H. Egbers
Michaël A. Kuiper
Wouter J. Schuiling
Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
Case Reports in Neurological Medicine
title Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
title_full Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
title_fullStr Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
title_full_unstemmed Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
title_short Diagnosing Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient with a Suspected Status Epilepticus in the Intensive Care Unit
title_sort diagnosing sporadic creutzfeldt jakob disease in a patient with a suspected status epilepticus in the intensive care unit
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/630141
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